Poisonous baits for controlling soil-inhabiting pests

ABSTRACT

A poisonous bait for controlling soil-inhabiting pests comprising an active compound for controlling a soil-inhabiting pest and, as excipient, an artificial culture medium for mushrooms or the medium obtained after culture of mushrooms.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/304,967,filed on Sep. 13, 1994 which is abandoned.

The present invention relates to poisonous baits effectively used forcontrolling pests inhabiting soil.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Sho 63-26721, JapanesePatent Application Disclosures Nos. Sho 61-183201, Sho 62-19505, Sho63-218604, Sho 63-218605, and Hei 1-143806, etc., disclose poisonousbaits having improved edibility by pests.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Disclosure No. Sho 63-135308discloses the utilization of microorganism as a pesticidal agent.

Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Disclosure No. Hei 2-124802discloses stabilized control agents for soil-inhabiting pests comprisingvegetable organic matter.

It has now been found that poisonous baits comprising active compoundsfor controlling soil-inhabiting pests and, as excipient, an artificialculture medium for mushrooms or the medium obtained after the culturethereof exhibit excellent pesticidal activity on soil-inhabiting pests.

The poisonous baits according to the present invention can be preparedaccording to conventional processes such as tabletting, briquetting,etc., wherein an artificial culture medium for mushrooms or the mediumobtained after the culture thereof, is dried, followed by adding theretothe below-mentioned active compounds for controlling soil-inhabitingpests, if necessary, together with adjuvants such as binder, and thelike.

Active compounds for controlling soil-inhabiting pests to be employed inthe poisonous baits for controlling soil-inhabiting pests according tothe present invention include organic phosphorus compounds, carbamatecompounds pyrethroid compounds, nitromethane compounds, nitroguanidinecompounds, etc., and preferably:

a compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is hydrogen, acyl, alkyl,or optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl,

A is hydrogen, alkyl or a divalent group connected to B,

B is alkyl, --S--R, ##STR2## or a divalent group connected to A, Y is═N-- or ##STR3## T¹ is hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, and Xis an electron attractive group.

In the active compounds for controlling soil-inhabiting pests of thegeneral formula (I), preferably R is hydrogen, formyl, C₁₋₄alkylcarbonyl, benzoyl, C₁₋₄ alkylsulfonyl, C₁₋₆ alkyl, or optionallysubstituted heteroarylmethyl having up to a six membered ring, at leastone nitrogen ring atom and optionally one or more other hetero atoms,

A is hydrogen, C₁₋₄ alkyl, ethylene, trimethylene, or ##STR4## T² ishydrogen, C₁₋₄ alkyl or C₁₋₄ alkylcarbonyl, B is C₁₋₄ alkyl, --S--R,##STR5## --S--, methylene or ##STR6## Y is ═N-- or ═CH--, and X is nitroor cyano.

More preferably, R is hydrogen, formyl, acetyl, C₁₋₄ alkyl,2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl or2-chloro-5-thiazolyl,

A is hydrogen, C₁₋₄ alkyl, ethylene, trimethylene, or ##STR7## T² ismethyl or ethyl, B is C₁₋₄ alkyl, --S--R, ##STR8## --S--, methylene or##STR9## Y is ═N-- or ═CH--, and X is nitro or cyano.

Still more preferably, R is 2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl or2-chloro-5-thiazolyl,

A is hydrogen, C₁₋₄ alkyl, ethylene, trimethylene, or ##STR10## T² ismethyl or ethyl, B is C₁₋₄ alkyl, --S--R, ##STR11## --S--, methylene or##STR12## Y is ═N-- or ═CH--, and X is nitro or cyano.

As concrete examples of the preferred nitro and cyano insecticidalcompounds there may be mentioned

N-cyano-N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-N'-methylacetoamidine,

1N-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-ethylamino!-1-methylamino-2-nitroethylene,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-5-methyl-2-nitroimino-hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine

1-(2-chloro-5-thiazolylmethyl)-3,5-dimethyl-2-nitroimino-hexahyd1,3,5-triazine,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-3,5-dimethyl-2-nitroimino-hexahydro1,3,5-triazine,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-2-nitromethylene-imidazolidine,

1-N-(2-chloro-5-thiazolylmethyl)-N-ethylamino!-1-methylamino-2-nitroethylene,

3-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-2-nitromethylene-thiazolidine,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-2-(1-nitro-2-allylthioethylidene)-imidazolidine,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-2-(1-nitro-2-ethylthioethylidene)-imidazolidine,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-2-(1-nitro-2-β-methylallylthio-ethylidene)-imidazolidine,

methyl- 3-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-1-methyl-2-nitro!guanidino-formate,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethylamino)-1-methylthio-2-nitroethylene,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethylamino)-1-methylamino-2-nitroethylene,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-3-nitro-2-methylisothiourea,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-1-methyl-2-nitroguanidine,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethylamino)-1-dimethylamino-2-nitroethylene

1-N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-N-methylamino!-1-methylamino-2-nitroethylene,

1-N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-N-methylamino!-1-dimethylamino-2-nitroethylene,

3-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-1,1-dimethyl-2-nitroguanidine,

1-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethylamino)-1-ethylamino-2-nitroethylene,

1-amino-1- N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-N-methylamino!-2-nitroethylene,

3-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-1,3-dimethyl-2-nitroguanidine,

3-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-1,1,3-trimethyl-2-nitroguanidine,

1-amino-1- N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-N-ethylamino!-2-nitroethylene,

1-N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-N-n-propylamino!-1-methylamino-2-nitroethylene,

1-N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-N-ethylamino!-1-ethylamino-2-nitroethylene,

3-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-3-ethyl-1-methyl-2-nitroguanidine,

3-(2-chloro-5-thiazolylmethyl)-1-methyl-2-nitroguanidine, and

1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine.

To the poisonous baits for controlling soil-inhabiting pests accordingto the present invention there may be added insect-parasitic fungi suchas Metarhizium, Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauver, and Beauveria bassiana,etc.

Excipients to be employed in the poisonous baits for controllingsoil-inhabiting pests according to the present invention may be anymaterials used as artificial culture media for mushrooms, e.g. woodchips of broadleaved trees such as beech, oak, and the like.

As binders to be employed in the poisonous baits for controllingsoil-inhabiting pests according to the present invention there may bementioned, for example, the following substances which, however, shouldnot be considered to limit the scope of the binders usable in thepresent invention:

Starch, soluble starch α-starch, dextrin, amylose, amiropectin, lignin,sodium lignin sulfonate, potassium ligninsulfonate, calciumligninsulfonate, cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose,carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl starch,hydroxypropyl starch, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, gum arabic,gelatin, casein, xanthane gum, alginic acid, sodium alginate, sodiumsilicate, polyvinyl alcohol, polypropylene glycol,polyethyelene-proplypropylene block polymer, sodium polyacrylate, andthe like.

The poisonous baits according to the present invention exhibit excellentcontrol on soil-inhabiting pests and effectively control the followingsoil-inhabiting pests, though they may also be used against pests otherthan those mentioned. Further, they can be used against all pests thatemerge on and/or inhabit the soiled surface, or its vicinity.

As examples there may be mentioned the following pest and insects:

From the order of Coleoptera, Anomala albopiosa, Anomala cuprea,Popillia japonica, Adoretus tenuimaculatus, Anomala diversa, Anomalarufocuprea, Anomala schoenfeldti, Lachnosterna morosa, Agriotes ogurae,Melanotus okinawenisis, Melanotus sakisimensis, Diabrotica spp.,Aracerus fasciculatus, Sphenophorus venatus vestinus, Sceptieus griseus,Scepticus uniformis, etc.

From the order of Diptera, Ophiomyia lappivora, Bradisia agrestis, Deliaantiqua, Delia floralis, Hylemya Platura, Dicranoptycha spp., etc.

From the order of Lepidoptera, Agrotis segetum, Agrotis ipsilon, etc.

The artificial culture medium for mushrooms and the medium obtainedafter the culture thereof, which are used as excipients for thepoisonous baits according to the present invention have attractingaction for soil-inhabiting insects, particularly larvae of gold beetles,and desirably are eaten by them.

Further, after the application of the poisonous baits according to thepresent invention, the portion of the excipient that has not been eatenby soil-inhabiting pests will automatically decompose in the soil toform organic manure by itself so that it will not present anyenvironmental problem.

The poisonous baits for controlling soil-inhabiting pests according tothe present invention may be used in the form of granules, tablets,rods, and the like, and can be formed according to conventional methodsfor the production of pesticidal formulations.

In poisonous baits for controlling soil-inhabiting pests according tothe present invention, the mixing ratio by weight of the respectivecomponents may be varied over a relatively wide range and, the mediumobtained after artificial culture of mushrooms may be present in from100 to 50,000, preferably from 1,000 to 20,000 parts, by weight per partby weight of the active compound of the poisonous baits for controllingsoil-inhabiting pests according to the present invention.

The dosage may be varied dependent on the farm products as well asemergency condition of soil-inhabiting pests, but it may usually be inthe range of from about 0.05 to 3 kg/ha, preferably from about 0.1 to 1kg/ha, in terms of the pesticidally active component.

The present invention provides poisonous baits for controllingsoil-inhabiting pests which exhibit a number of excellent effects suchas requiring no pre-treatment such as soil mixing, thus ensuringlabor-saving application, keeping the dosages at a lower level, andprolonging the insecticidal activity. Moreover, the excipients employedin the instant poisonous baits decompose in the soil to form organicmanure, which is an additional desirable effect.

The excellent effects exhibited by the poisonous baits for controllingsoil-inhabiting pests according to the present invention aredemonstrated in the following examples which, however, should not beconsidered to limit the scope of the present invention.

FORMULATION 1

An artificial medium used for culture of Maitake mushrooms was dried bya fluidized layer dryer. 69.97 parts of the thus obtained dried medium,0.03 parts of an active compound for controlling soil-inhabiting pests ,and 30 parts of α-starch, were mixed in a universal mixer. 30 g of theresulting mixture was tableted with the use of a mold having a diameterof 50 mm at a mold pressure of 1,000 kg/cm² to form tablets.

FORMULATION 2

An artificial medium used for culture of Maitake mushrooms was dried bya fluidized layer dryer. 69.94 parts of the thus obtained dried medium,0.06 parts of an active compound for controlling soil-inhabiting pests,and 30 parts of crystallized cellulose, were mixed in a universal mixer.30 g of the resulting mixture was tableted with the use of a mold havinga diameter of 50 mm at a mold pressure of 1,000 kg/cm² to form tablets.

FORMULATION 3

An artificial medium used for culture of Maitake mushrooms was dried bya fluidized layer dryer. 69.96 parts of the thus obtained dried medium,0.03 parts of an active compound for controlling soil-inhabiting pests,0.01 parts of spores of Metarhizium anisopliae, and 30 parts of dextrin,were mixed in a universal mixer. 30 g of the resulting mixture wastableted with the use of a mold having a diameter of 50 mm at a moldpressure of 1,000 kg/cm² to form tablets.

BIOTEST EXAMPLE 1

Insecticidal test on Anomala cuprea

Test Method:

Soil of upland fields was filled into each of containers made frompolypropylene (62 cm×40 cm×20 cm) and then the tablets of Formulation 1were embedded in the soil at a depth of 5 cm in each container andlightly covered with a soil layer. Into the soil of each container wereinoculated twenty heads of Anomala cuprea at the first instar and acarrot was placed as bait on the soil surface.

Thirty days after the inoculation of the larvae, the surviving number ofthe larvae was determined in each container to calculate the mortalityof the insects.

This test was carried out in duplicate and the thus obtained results areshown in Table 1.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        Active compounds                                                              for controlling                  Insect                                       soil-inhabiting   Dosages        mortality                                    pests under test                                                                           kg a.i./ha piece/m.sup.2                                                                          (%)                                          ______________________________________                                        A            0.3        4        100                                          A            0.3        9        100                                          A            0.6        4        100                                          A            0.6        9        100                                          B            0.6        4         95                                          B            0.6        9         97                                          Untreated zone                                                                             --         --        0                                           ______________________________________                                         A: 1(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine             B: Ncyano-N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-Nmethylaceto amidine              

BIOTEST EXAMPLE 2

Insecticidal test on Anomala cuprea

Test Method:

Peanut plants were cultivated in conventional manner on Kuroboku soil inan upland field consisting of a plurality of sections each having anarea of 40 m² (5 m×8 m). After the plants flowered and grew, apredetermined amount of tablets of Formulation 2 were embedded in thesoil of each section at a depth of 5 cm and lightly covered with a soillayer. At harvest time undamaged and damaged nutlets were surveyed forforty plants grown at the center area of each of the sections and theresulting protective values were calculated according to the followingequation: ##EQU1##

Damage rate I=legumes with only devoured surface

Damage rate II=devoured nutlets observed

The results are shown in Table 2.

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                                                         Protective                                   Active compound  Dosages         value                                        under test  kg a.i./ha  piece/m.sup.2                                                                          (%)                                          ______________________________________                                        A           0.3         9        90                                           A           0.6         9        90                                           Untreated zone                                                                            --          --        0                                           ______________________________________                                         A: 1(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine        

It is understood that the specification and examples are illustrativebut not limitative of the present invention and that other embodimentswithin the spirit and scope of the invention will suggest themselves tothose skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A poisonous bait for controlling a pest withinthe order of Coleoptera, Deptera and Lepidoptera, which comprises apesticide active against said pest selected from the group consistingof:N-cyano-N-(2-chloro-5-pyridylmethyl)-N'-methylacetoamidine, 1-N-6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl-N-ethylamino!-1-methylamino-2-nitroethylene,1-2-chloro-5-thiazolylmethyl-3,5,-dimethyl-2-nitroaminohexahydro-1,3,5-triazineand 1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine,andwood chips of a beech or oak tree as both excipient and attractant, saidwood chips having first been used as a culture medium for mushrooms.